VEREENIGING – A Vereeniging resident, Grace Mnisi fears that her house will collapse at any given time due to its structural damage.
Mnisi says her nightmare began when a maintenance project by the Emfuleni Local Municipality’s (ELM) Metsi a Lekoa began on Van Riebeeck Street where she and her family reside.
Since then, the house has continued to develop cracks which she believes will lead to the entire house collapsing.
Speaking to Ster North, Mnisi said the community was never informed about the project.
“I just saw people and big trucks. We were never informed about the project. Now I fear for my family’s safety because the house continues to develop huge cracks and will eventually fall.”
Mnisi said that she just needs to find out if the municipality will be able to assist her and her family.
“My fencing has been taken out and no one even asked for my consent. I am very frustrated at the moment,” she said.
Ward 15 councillor Prudence Hlanyane said that Mnisi’s house was the most affected. “There are a few houses that have developed cracks as a result of this project with number 33 being the most severely affected.”
“I was called by frustrated residents who said that their houses had been damaged due to the project. On inspection we found that the foundation of the houses had been damaged. They had serious fears of the houses not being safe to live in.”
“There is also an issue of electrical infrastructure damage caused by the contractor.”
Hlanyane says since the project began, there has been poor communication from the municipality’s side to her as a councillor in the ward.
“There have been numerous challenges caused by this project”
Hlanyane said she had informed Metsi a Lekoa about the developments and was advised to report the matter to a different department.
ELM’s Chuchi Radebe says, “The Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) has noted the matter and the Vereeniging Customer Relations Officer from Metsi-a-Lekoa was dispatched to investigate.
“The affected houses were identified however, thorough conclusive investigations with the help of the Building Control Department still need to happen.
Radebe said the team would assemble on Friday (4 October). An update will be shared upon finalization of the report by the two departments,”Radebe concludes.
